Life's Game
by lemonlimesweetness
Summary: A death can cause much grief, but it can also cause many changes. And for Lily, one of those changes was realizing what's been there for her the whole time.


**A/N: This story is dedicated to my mother, who recently passed away because she chose to save my life rather than her own. She is very much like Lily, who later does the same thing. I will forever be in her debt, which is why this story is special just for her.**

_Chapter One: The very Start of the End_

"No! You do it!" a girl whispered fiercely to her neighbor.

"No way!" That neighbor answered back.

A loud and shrill whistle echoed through the air, as the ground rocked up and down in a shaky motion. There were a few people in the halls, going to the bathroom, visiting another friend, or chasing down the food trolley. They all wore black robes, however, and pointed black hats. But otherwise the hallways were empty; if you didn't count the group of giggling girls that was huddled by the closed door of a train compartment.

Most of these girls were adorned with countless trinkets and frilly accessories to add some color into the bleakness of their monochromatic robes. They all held tiny, show-offish purses filled with a never-ending depth of cosmetics and other really useless items in the makeup category; though one would wonder how these girls could squeeze anymore of the gunk onto their already heavily painted faces.

That was not what they were worrying about at the moment, however.

This was surprising as their "pretty-girl code" included applying/thinking about make-up at all times. But no, at this very moment, they were worrying about the occupants inside the very compartment they were standing outside of. They were arguing, in fact, on who would introduce themselves to the coveted "Marauders" behind the door.

At last, a girl from the end of the small crowd exasperated, "Will one of you lot just hurry up already?" And deciding to agree with her, the girls pushed the one closest to the compartment into the door.

_Thunk_

The people inside took this as a knock.

"Come in," said a low voice, sounding bored… or was it frustrated? The girls giggled and pushed the door open. Inside were four seventeen-year-old boys.

One, the tallest of the quartet, had his face buried into a book. The other, a short, chubby boy who just didn't seem to fit in, was nibbling on the end of a large chunk of cheddar. The two on the other side of them however, were the ones that caught the girls' attentions. They were intently playing a game of Wizard Chess, paying no attention to the girls giggling hopefully by the door.

The girls' spokesperson cleared her throat for their attention, and the boys wearily turned their heads and stared with impatience, fingers twitching to get back to the game. "Well," the girl giggled. "We were wondering…" she trailed off with another anxious giggle. "We were wondering if James and Sirius-," and she made such an emphasis on their names that she made it obvious that the invitation was extended to the two of them only, "-wanted to come and sit with us." She gestured to the rest of the girls.

Cheese-nibbler and book-reader didn't seem to mind that they were excluded from the invitation, too busy with their respective cheese-nibbling and book-reading. James and Sirius gave this matter the same amount of interest.

"No," they both answered in a monotone before happily returning to their game.

This shocked the girl speaking, for she was certain that they couldn't say no to her group's "refreshing personality."

"Oh." She stood shocked. That was the only word she found it was easy to say. The ones around her ceased their giggling. "Th-that's ok-kay," she stuttered, but to her horror tears started pooling around her eyes and dripping down her cheeks. However, to save her most of the embarrassment, James and Sirius had returned to the game and weren't even looking.

The girls around grabbed her shoulders comfortingly and bustled out of the compartment, a few at the end shamelessly turning around to wave or wink at the boys before running back out to comfort their heartbroken friend.

"James," sighed the book-reader to his messy haired friend. "Couldn't you have been the slightest bit sensitive?" His friend looked up at him with exasperation.

"_She_ wasn't crying _also_?" He asked frustrated, though he already knew the answer.

"Fifth one today." Book-reader or Remus confirmed.

"Not again!" Next to him, Sirius moaned.

"Aha!" James shouted. Sirius turned back to the game. "Checkmate!" James shouted triumphantly.

"No way." Sirius whispered, checking if he had cheated.

"Yup, now pay up." He said cheerfully, holding his hand out to Sirius. Sirius muttered something illegible, but dropped a pair of gold coins into James' hand nonetheless.

Remus leaned back and sighed. "A bet, again?" He asked the hopeless boys. "So?" Sirius mumbled, still downtrodden by losing. "It's okay, Padfoot." Peter squeaked. Sirius' eyes glinted.

"Wormtail?"

"Yes?"

"Would you like to play a little game?"

Remus sighed next to him before returning to his book.

It was a rather uneventful train after that incident. The group of girls, being the gossip queens of the school spread word of the Marauders' bad mood. However, the girls might have twisted the story to make it seem as though they were the ones who "soothed the Marauders' souls." "Other wise, they would have totally, like, destroyed the universe because they were that upset that we didn't like, ask to sit with them sooner! Like yah." But other than that, it was just filled with more random betting, nibbling, and reading.

It was dark now, the smoke of the train puffing in clouds outside the window. The Marauders could see the large turrets of Hogwarts in the distance, and they were jittery with the excitement of homecoming.

"We should get dressed." Remus said finally, after finishing the last sentence in that oh-so-interesting book of his. But books were as important as his best friends, so it was imperative to finish them. He looked up. To his surprise, Sirius, James, and Peter already had their robes on over their uniforms, because apparently they just couldn't find a nice, completely desirable book themselves. "Or, _I _should get dressed." He corrected.

The boys grinned before packing up anything they had unpacked on the long trip.

They then grabbed their owls, or in Peter's case, toad, so they could release them outside. Who knew how long they would be in their cages before they were let free by the house elves that came by to pick up the luggage. Knowing the Hogwarts house elves, they probably thought the owls _liked_ being caged up with no freedom.

There was a purr of the engine and then a little bump and the train stopped. The boys quickly opened their compartment door. There was a rush of students trying to get outside to the beautiful lake, and tall leaning castle. James, Remus, and Sirius held their arms up high to protect their beloved owls from the crowd of bodies slamming into each other in their haste. Owls which were startled by the loud noise and were now pecking their knuckles into a bloody pulp, as Sirius would say later on when questioned about the Hello Kitty Band-aid on the back of his hand.

They finally squeezed out the door and ran a distance away from the crowd. Then the three of them (Peter was safely tucking his toad away into his pocket) lifted their arms up and let the owls fly off to the direction of the Owlery.

"Bye Sugar Puff!" James yelled out to his owl as it left.

Sirius snickered behind him. James rolled his eyes. Sirius laughed every time James' owl's name was even mentioned.

"Look. My mom named her! Okay?" He yelled, frustrated.

"Umm…James, Sugar Puff's a he." Remus said, trying to fight back a grin, but failing to do so.

James glared at him wearily.

"Don't make it worse."

They hurried back to the carriages that looked set to leave. Finally, one by one, they sat down, panting in the carriage after some hardcore running. It slowly began to lift of the ground just as they got into their seats. They sat there for some good relaxation for a few moments.

"Just made it." Sirius exclaimed, leaning back.

It was then that James was struck by that nagging feeling that you were forgetting something. He looked around the carriage they were sitting in.

"Where's Peter?"

They slowly looked down the open door. Peter was running along underneath them, waving his hands and yelling.

They immediately got to their feet.

"Moony, give me your feet!" James yelled.

Remus just squinted at James, wondering how handing over his feet could help. Before he knew what was happening, Remus fell to the ground, but stopped five feet short, his feet in the air, in James' hands.

"I can't reach him!" He yelled. The carriage rose an inch higher.

"Padfoot!" he yelled. And Sirius nodded. He grabbed James' feet, slower that James grabbed Remus', and lowered them both to the ground.

"Blimey! How much do you lot weigh?" Sirius shook his head, flabbergasted. He had to tuck his feet behind the carriage seat, so he wouldn't fall.

"Peter!" Remus yelled. Peter stretched onto his toes and grabbed Remus' hands.

It would seem a rather odd sight. If you looked out of your carriage window, and you saw Sirius Black half out the door, holding onto James Potter's legs, and see James Potter holding onto Remus Lupin's legs, and see Remus Lupin holding onto Peter Pettigrew's hands, and then see little Peter running on the ground, at the bottom of the wizard chain, trying to keep up with the carriage.

"Padfoot, PULL!" James yelled, his arms tired from holding the combined weight of Remus and Peter. He heard grunting above him, and slowly, he was pulled back into the carriage.

Once inside he grabbed onto one of Remus' legs, while letting Sirius pull the other one.

"Ow! Be careful up there." He heard Remus shout from below. They were having a problem with hitting his head onto the side of the carriage.

But they got Remus up and sturdy onto the floor of the carriage, and his head seemed just fine. So they quickly focused their thoughts onto their biggest priority now: getting Peter safely onto the carriage. Of course that was harder than it should have been seeing as it took all three of them to heave Peter all the way up.

They all leaned back on their seats, panting.

And then Sirius yelled, "That was fun! Let's do it again!"

The others gave him wary looks, and scooted as far from him and the door as possible.

They leaned their heads out of the window, Sirius and James fighting over who got the best view, and watched as Hogwarts flew into closer view. Of course, they _both _bumped their heads on the window when the carriage hit the ground in front of the school. And all four felt like the joy they were feeling could make them liable to explode any second.

"Come on boys, we're home!"

~#O#~#O#~#O#~#O#~#O#~#O#~#O#~#O#~#O#~#O#~#O#~#O#~#O#~#O#~

The first years were tipping one by one into the lake in their little tiny boats as the Marauders walked by the lake, full of warm and fuzzy nostalgia. They had departed a bit from the large crowd, finding it much easier to walk without the constant pushing and shoving, and occasionally a jab from a dangerously pointy elbow. But all was well because after two and a half months of estrangement, they finally got their reunion. But really, they were _actually _excited by the prospect of the delicious start of the year feast. But, hey, teenage boys, right? Needing nourishment since they were constantly growing, or so they argued to anyone who'd listen (Mind, that was most everyone).

"Last start-of-the-year feast boys." Remus sighed as they waited for the crowd to pass. "Unless of course, any of you lot is planning to be a professor?"

But they all knew what the future held. And to most, being a stuffy old teacher who gave out boatloads of homework was the happier alternative. All wanted to be Aurors, but attaining this future could prove something difficult.

Remus was perhaps the least likely of all four. He had nothing lacking in skill; his grades were one of the best in the school. But all the troubles came from a little condition. Three days a month (and not even days, but nights) he transformed into something terrible. It started when he was merely six and if it weren't for Dumbledore, he mightn't have even been allowed in school. Remus Lupin was a werewolf. But, don't let that make you think he was bad for it. In fact, he was a better person because of it. Holding the burden of being a dangerous monster that could rip out the throats of even its best friends…yeah, it did that to you.

You could guess who was next down the line. Peter Pettigrew, little Peter who had no idea what he was doing with these friends of his. He had his heart in the right place, for now at least, but he just couldn't do the same thing with his wand. He was hopeless with most of the simplest spells and chants, curses and hexes, potions and plants; it was all like a foreign language to him. So watching his best buddies rise to the top, guess who was left in the shadow.

And Sirius. What could possibly be wrong with Sirius? Sure he was a bit more…_ eccentric _than the others, but he had the grades and was free of any condition; so what then? Poor, poor, Sirius. It had nothing to do with him. He was haunted by his family's past…and present…and most likely future. His family was a big old bunch of Voldemort kissing, muggle-born hating, blood-obsessing barf-bags. (And that, my friends, is the _nice _way to put it.) And with this reputation behind him, the ministry was sure to be wary of him being a spy from deep within the inner ranks of the Dark Lord.

But of course, then there was James. Perfect James who was most likely to become what he most wanted to be. James who had everything he could possibly ever want, being brought down by his angsty friends. But in return for their problems, he got the best friends he could ever ask for (though they were crazy every now and then).

And from that the Marauders were born. And with that educational history lesson, we bring you back to the program…

Sirius snorted. "As much as I would miss Minnie, I'd rather not."

They finally squeezed in as the last students straggled through the doors. The First years were already in a line in front of the sacred stool special for their little booties. The Marauders sat themselves down and then proceeded in staring the golden plates and cutlery, hoping intimidation was a tactic worthy of some food. Sadly, inanimate objects were not threatened by their glares and did not seem fit to poof up some sustenance. Even the growling of their stomachs didn't seem to convince the dishes.

They leaned their elbows against the table (very ungentlemanly) and waited for the Sorting Hat's famous song.

_Now, I may seem young, _

_Dashing, new, and full of glory_

_But once a time ago, _

_I was simply but an accessory. _

_Then one day it just so happens, _

_Our founders came upon strife, _

_Debating if admittance,_

_Was for each and every life._

_It was the toughest gander, _

_A favorite here by there,_

_So at last brave Godric said, _

_I'll take this hat here from my hair._

_And on me he cast a spell,_

_So my judgment was the final straw, _

_You may be in Gryffindor or Slytherin,_

_Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. _

_If I put you in Gryffindor, _

_You must be something brave, _

_Noble, charming, and quite gallant, _

_A ways away from a simple knave_

_But if in Slytherin you end up, _

_You'll be cunning, sly, and clever, _

_With blood most pure, _

_And succeeding all endeavor._

_Then of course, there's Ravenclaw,_

_Where one must have their wit, _

_Full and fresh of knowledge,_

_And not so wise to hit._

_And last is sweet Hufflepuff, _

_Who's humble, honest, and kind._

_You see, they'll be your friends,_

_Nicest you might ever find._

_So welcome back to Hogwarts,_

_Where nothing's quite as tragic, _

_Hope your year's full of fun, _

_And loads and loads of magic!_

The room erupted in applause as the hat bowed as well as it could with a lack of a body. By then, all eyes were firmly planted on the First Years. Well, not _all _eyes.

"When's the bloody feast going to start?" Sirius moaned, theoretically drooling just thinking about it.

"Zimmerman, Tyler," Professor McGonagall called out, finally.

The sorting hat pulled his head this way and that as it whispered things into his ear. Mostly, he just looked confused.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" It called out, and then it was over.

With the usual speech from Dumbledore, the feast popped out onto the shiny plates with the usual splendor that only came with Hogwarts house elves.

James immediately reached out for the large turkey baked to perfection. Seeing as it was the biggest thing there, it was the one that first caught his attention. But it had caught someone else's attention as well because he was forced to swat away someone else's hand so that he could easily get the part he wanted. He swiftly tore off a leg bigger than his head and dumped in into his plate before spooning out the rice placed right next to the meal. After he gave his turkey leg a good and large rice blanket, he drenched it all with thick gravy. And he certainly liked his gravy, because he put as much gravy as rice instead of the usual drizzle most people put on their meals. His dinner was so large it was starting to overflow the plate. He quickly started to devour it all.

And all around him, the other Marauders were eating just as much (Sirius possibly having a slight bit more), making it seem as though they hadn't been fed properly that summer. But they really had been fed great amounts, because this was how they ate at home too. Their mothers had taken to the idea that they were just making up for the rest of the year that they were absent.

And all the others at the Gryffindor table could not compare with their own measly eating skills. But they were admiring the Marauders'. That could be certain.

And they ate their ways through a few more servings until the food magically changed itself into desert. This, too, they had plenty of, reaching for each of the treacle tarts and home-made cauldron cakes. And they were ready for more desert than dinner, seeing as desert is a favorite among many teenagers. James was just reaching his hand out for a bowl of sweet marmalade when the food faded away and ended the feast. Of course, everyone had stopped eating already, so the vanishing of the food was only inconvenient for the Marauders (and a few other gluttons).

His hand merely made contact with the golden plate. He frowned. It was slightly disappointing, but he knew he was full enough, so he didn't complain as Peter currently was.

"I just wanted some of the cheesecake!" He said whiningly. It was just a good thing no one used the joke, "Do you want some cheese with that whine?"

It had been used once before. But he had replied "Yes!" which left Sirius in shock. James and Remus had certainly laughed, but at Sirius for his joke backfiring.

They all stood up from the benches, smiles on their faces from the great feeling of a full belly. James too lifted his foot up and rested it on his seat, allowing him to swing his other over the bench. But right as James backed away from the bench, his front side still facing the table and not being able to see where he was walking for a few seconds, his body hit another small one.

"Sorry!" they both said, worrying about the person the bumped into.

Well, that was _before _they saw each other's faces.

Standing right across from James was the only Gryffindor he disliked: Lily Evans, current Head Girl it seemed from the badge pinned very visibly onto her robes.

He sighed, obviously showing how irritated he was that she had walked into him. She too conveyed her anger with a scowl etched into her features.

"Do you just not watch where you're going?" he asked her, his eyes narrowed into a glare.

"Well I wouldn't have to if you didn't walk backwards." She said harshly, turning the fault to his. She started to walk away, making sure to bump him with her shoulder before joining her large group of friends.

He stayed where he was, fists clenching tightly from anger. His friends joined him right as she left.

"Why do you two never get along?" Remus asked, not sure whose side to take, as they were both his close friends, and truly he didn't think either of them was right. Last year, he had decided finally that they would just mature and not fight as much. But he was unsure about that now.

"Because," James growled, "She's just so…I just don't like her!" he gave as an explanation, not realizing that it was hardly a good one.

All the other Marauders then proceeded in rolling their eyes.

"Let's go." Sirius sighed, grabbing James arm and leading him to the giant double doors of the Great Hall. It was time to go to the dorms.

They all walked out of the doors, stuck behind a few Hufflepuff stragglers. As they entered the hallway, James tried to start conversation.

"So Evans is Head Girl?" he asked his friends, who talked to her more than he did.

"Yeah." Remus said. Being the Gryffindor prefect for their year, he probably knew a lot more than the normal student.

"Who's the _unlucky _Head Boy?" James said, pityingly.

Remus just frowned.

"Sure. Unlucky because he's some guy in Slytherin."

James immediately felt anger. Yes, he didn't really like Lily, but even he was worried about hearing that she was about to spend a lot of her time working next to a Slytherin. A Slytherin would not be too friendly whilst working closely with a muggle-born in Gryffindor, seeing as those were the two things Slytherins hated the most: muggle-borns and Gryffindors.

"I change my mind!" he sighed out. "Lily's the unlucky one."

They all finally reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Password?" she asked out loudly.

"Exspectata tergum."

And she swung open, leaving them a view of the Gryffindor Common Room.

And it was very crowded. Almost everyone was in there, welcoming each other back to Hogwarts and giving tearful hugs to show how much they were missed. The Marauder crept discreetly along the wall so they could head towards their dormitories as quick as they could.

They were relieved to see that the one other person that shared their dormitory, Frank, was downstairs with everyone else. They looked at each other and grinned. It was time to start planning the best year ever!

**A/N: I want to say that I won't be updating as quick as you guys would want. Perhaps every month, or maybe even twice every month. But under the pressure of going to school, helping take care of my family, and doing homework and studying it will be hard to write much more. **


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